NOTE: This is a blog post that probably only current or future RVers will find interesting.
I’ve written before about our tiny washer/dryer combo a few times when we’ve (actually Roy) needed to pull it out for servicing. It was a Splendide Model 2000S. It’s extremely heavy and the limited space in an RV makes it more difficult to remove than a normal washer or dryer. There is no room in the little hole it lives in to reach over, under or on either side to get to anything. Two access areas are cut into the side wall of the closet so you can at least look in the back or fit one arm in there to try to work.
Recently it started having “issues” again and one thing after another started breaking. First it was the handle that you open and close the door with. Then it was the detergent/fabric softener dispenser. Roy did what he could to repair those things but when the heat stopped blowing during the dryer cycle we declared it dead and in need of a replacement.
All of those things would be rather cheap to replace in a regular washer/dryer, but as with everything in an RV, these parts made specifically for an RV washer/dryer were highly overpriced. To replace the little door handle, which is plastic and maybe 4 inches high and 3 inches across, cost $90.00 A new detergent/fabric softener dispenser was $115.00. Don’t even want to say how much the price would have been to purchase a replacement for the heating element. Add to that the back-breaking labor of removing it to fix it, and the fact that part after part are failing, we decided to finally give in and 
purchased a new one.
Washing clothes, during the week it took the new machine to get here, was just washing, no drying. Clothes came out wet and were hung up to dry wherever I could, all around the RV. Shirts, pants, underwear, whatever all hung up to dry. What a sight that was, no company that week! I’m thankful I could at least wash but I’m very glad that week is over.
Friday (yesterday) when Roy got off work our son Chip came over to work. Together they removed the old washer/dryer and installed the new one. Thank goodness for a strong son and husband! The new model is a Splendide 2100XC. It has a bigger capacity than the old one. While it does shake some when its drying it doesn’t sound or feel like a 747 is landing in the bedroom like the old one did. Since it’s 10 years newer than the old one it’s got lots of new features the older one didn’t like pre-wash, extra rinse, and low spin.
Now we have replaced the bed, the washer/dryer, the toilet and the ceiling lights since we bought it two years ago. The RV is almost 10 years old so it is probably good that is all we’ve had to replace, so far!!!
The old washer/dryer going out!
The new one coming in!
While Roy was taking a nap on Thursday evening after work I started to smell an electrical burning smell. I got up and could tell it was coming from the bedroom in the back. On my way to waking up Roy, a loud sizzle cracking sound coming from the ceiling went on for about 10 seconds. The sound was over before I got Roy awake but there was smoke in the bedroom which he could see. He checked everything inside that he could since it was dark outside by this time and getting on the roof of an RV at night is not something you do.
When I woke up Friday I noticed that the air condition in the living room and the one in the bedroom area were not running. They were on but the compressor wasn’t running. By the time Roy came home at 12:30 (he works half days on Fridays) the temperature inside the RV was 90 and it was in the low 80s outside. When I showered and dried my hair it was dripping wet in 20 minutes.
I am so thankful that the night time temperatures have been in the 50s this week because it was quite nice sleeping with the windows open Thursday night. Roy climbed on top of the roof Friday to check out the a/c problem after installing the washer and dryer with Chip. Parts in the bedroom area air conditioner were fried. The front living area air conditioner had stopped for some reason. Roy spent a lot of time on the roof trying to figure out what was wrong and to look into our options. Last night’s weather was just a wonderful as the night before so we slept with the windows open. If this was two weeks ago we’d have sweat all night, or slept on the carpet in the sticks and bricks house bedroom or taken Chip up on his offer for us to sleep at his house. Instead we got to sleep at home!
Today brought a different set of air conditioning issues and options and I’m going to stop here with this story. Roy is out looking at pricing for options since replacing both air conditioners is quite expensive. When he returns and we know what it will take to be cool during the day again I’ll share! I have a brilliant husband so I know he’ll come back with something promising!!!
Life in an RV is different and on occasion challenging, like this week! We might have many, many uneventful RV related weeks before the next thing happens. Let’s hope so!
Ya’ll have a wonderful weekend and ya’ll come back now, ya’ hear!
BECAUSE HE LIVES 